The good news for tomorrow is that captain Fabricio Coloccini returns from his week-long compassionate leave in Argentina, and Colo will be a welcome return at Craven Cottage, when the Newcastle side have to put up without having manager Alan Pardew in the stadium, as he serves the first match of a three match stadium ban.
Fab Coloccini – welcome return to the side tomorrow
Then for the four matches after that it’s a touchline ban, but at least then Alan will be able o communicate with John Carver on the bench.
But a key figure for Newcastle over the next seven games and through the end of the season is Coloccini, the Newcastle skipper, and Newcastle always seem to play better when he’s in the side, and Colo needs to step up to the plate for Newcastle, starting tomorrow at Fulham.
His leadership will be key to help settle the players down and ensure the game-plan is being carried out, but from what Colo has said on the Newcastle web-site, he certainly seems to be up for the challenge:
“The manager apologized to us for what happened at Hull and we all accepted that.” “Now we move on and it is all about focusing on the next game and the rest of the season.”
“This weekend will be a bit strange because the manager will not be on the bench. It is normal that he is there but for the next few weeks he will not be.” “However, we have John Carver, who has a lot of experience, there instead.”
“It is not just about John.” “Without the manager there it is up to all the players to step up and improve, and that includes me as captain.” “I always lead the team and give them my opinion, but now I have to help even more.”
“When I am on the pitch, it is my responsibility to pass on the manager’s instructions and lead us.” “Now, that job is even more important without the manager there. I will be there to help John and hopefully we can get some wins, starting at Fulham on Saturday.”
And these last 10 games could be Colo’s last for the club, if he decides he wants to return permanently to Buenos Aries in the summer to be with his family.
For the record, Colo has now played 201 times with five goals for Newcastle since he signed on from Deportivo in August of 2008, when Kevin Keegan was still manager, and he stayed with the club when we were relegated in his first season on Tyneside.
And Colo was one of the key players for Newcastle in the promotion season, and was selected in the Championship team of the season in 2010, and he has been playing great for Newcastle over the last few years.
And then a couple of years later he was selected into the Premier League team of the season in 2012, after Newcastle finished in 5th place.
Coloccini has turned out to be a good buy at £10.6M, and we hope for two things – one is that he has a great game tomorrow and shows some real leadership on the pitch – and the second is that he stays with Newcastle through the end of his contract, which still has two years to run from the end of June.
What do you think?
Comments welcome.
169 comments so far
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:16 PM
Comment #81No, no that’s far too late welshie. My pre-sulk preparations are much too far along now. Harrumph!
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:16 PM
Comment #8259Blackley and Brownlie // Mar 14, 2014 at 6:27 PM
Where’s welsh tonight? I only popped in to check out his riveting prose and wisdom gems.
Ah that’s nice have you mist me
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:17 PM
Comment #83Bigi and Obie are out as well.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:19 PM
Comment #84Come on then Blackley where are you tonight
Does anybody agree that Blackley is two slices short of a loaf
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:20 PM
Comment #85Without Obertan I don’t see us having much of a chance against Fulham. Who will run up and down the sidelines looking like Squidward? It’s a horrible situation.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:21 PM
Comment #86GeordieTwo
Is anybody fit to play
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:24 PM
Comment #87Nobody is up for it welshie. Colo is having problems with his hair, Krul’s feet are too narrow, Gouffy is missing Kebab dreadfully, and Shola wants a new contract or he’s going to sulk like me. Horrible.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:26 PM
Comment #88What do you think the score is going to be tomorrow
0-1 I go for
Ben3arfa
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:26 PM
Comment #89Obertan played ok-ish in his first season to be honest lol
i remember he got an assist and a goal. assist to demba away at stoke and a goal on the counter at blackburn.
hes still shite tho
70TWO
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:28 PM
Comment #90Another outing for the Newbrazil kit tomorrow, we can not fail to shine. Will be interesting to see if they can get into the same rhythm without Remy & Debuchy. I fancy Gouffran to score and hopefully at least one of the strikers, who ever they may be as they all need to start producing.
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:28 PM
Comment #91I go for a 1-1 draw tomorrow. Fulham will be getting desperate now. As for Obertan he must continue to prepare for a career in pizza delivery I feel.
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:32 PM
Comment #92Is anybody else having trouble with the elk migration this season or is it just me? Damned annoying.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:33 PM
Comment #93If we get battered tomorrow, do we blame pardew or carver
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:35 PM
Comment #94I blame Mike SmallBerries welshie. The buck stops with the SmallBerries. Always remember that. He is responsible for the club. Did I mention my evil plot theory?
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:36 PM
Comment #95What evil plot theory
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:37 PM
Comment #96The one that I came up with yesterday?
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:38 PM
Comment #97Well what is it, I missed it
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:40 PM
Comment #98Yes Harrumph well, it’s a very complex story but essentially I noted a few common denominators. Has anybody ever caught the real Kennedy assassins? No. Did any bankers go to jail in 2008 for malfeasance? No. And does Mike SmallBerries ever spend the proper amount of money on the club in the windows if we aren’t threatened with relegation? I’ll leave that one for everyone to answer for themselves.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:42 PM
Comment #99I really wish i didn’t ask
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:44 PM
Comment #100I got a funny feeling it’s only us 2 on this blog tonight
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:48 PM
Comment #101Welshie
Wake up lad. We’re not going to get battered. In fact, as the basher boy, percy dither’s not there, we’ll have a better chance.
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:50 PM
Comment #102G2
Is the pope a Catholic? Do bears sh!t in the woods? Is mikey running a sound financial model?
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:51 PM
Comment #103Oh look who it is, I said if we get battered not we are going to get battered.
Come along now trigger
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:51 PM
Comment #104See? There are at least 3 of us on here welshie. And I firmly believe several others are lurking in the shadows.
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:52 PM
Comment #105There is a cyberspace underworld you know.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:53 PM
Comment #106Why can’t the 3rd person be anybody than blackley
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:55 PM
Comment #107Welshie
Sad day today with the loss of Tony Benn. I had a great one to one with him a few years ago. He was sitting by himself in the freezing cold outside the sage with his flask of tea and pipe.
70TWO
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:57 PM
Comment #108Will Penfold fall to pieces tomorrow?
http://youtu.be/lFZrdN4Pko0
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:57 PM
Comment #109I always thought it was Does Mike Sh!t in the woods? B&B. Has he stopped doing that? As for the Pope, he’s actually a Jesuit. Now they’re in trouble as well. No more thieving, no more pedophilia, whatever will they do with themselves?
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:58 PM
Comment #110Welshie
You said “if”. That is not in dispute. No wonder you send me to sleep when I’m used to mixing with the brilliant political minds of the 20th century. No offence, boyo.
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:59 PM
Comment #111RIP Tony Benn.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 7:59 PM
Comment #112The starting lineup tomorrow will that be by pardew or carver
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 8:02 PM
Comment #113What is wrong with you boyo, i didn’t say we are going to get battered I said if we do get battered
GeordieTwo
Mar 14, 2014 at 8:07 PM
Comment #114Well I’ve got a furnace cleaning to tend to. I hope to get back later lads.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 8:07 PM
Comment #115Mix with brilliant political minds
You couldn’t have a decent conversation with the chuckle brothers never mind anybody else
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 14, 2014 at 8:07 PM
Comment #116Pardew surely, welsh. Pity though. I’d like to see pardew take the opportunity to go on a sabbatical.
Take a sabbatical Alan. Take as long as you want. You’ve had a tough time of it lately. G2, Welshie and Blackley are feeling for you. Isn’t that right lads? Come on fellas, tell Alan.
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 14, 2014 at 8:15 PM
Comment #117Welshie boyo, you’re like a stuck record. We agree you said “IF” as in “IF we get battered”. But we aren’t going to get battered by fulham. No ifs about it fella. Not in my book. Why don’t you offer to chaperone pardew on his sabbatical? Sounds like you could do with a break too. I don’t believe for one minute it’s the stress free idyllic existence in the valleys that you boys like to paint. I’ve seen Stella, you know.
welshgeordie9
Mar 14, 2014 at 8:19 PM
Comment #118Never mind Stella watch twin town, I’m a stuck record that’s rich coming from you how many times did you moan about pardews head but
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 14, 2014 at 8:21 PM
Comment #119Welshie
Stella’s not a bad turn. You seen it?
Anyway I can’t hang around here waiting for your sparkling repartee. I’m off to get myself prepared and a good seat in the house for Jonathan Creek.
Blackley and Brownlie
Mar 14, 2014 at 8:22 PM
Comment #120Not enough times, welshie. Not enough. It’s still a source of rancour for me.